Here Comes the Rain
by NotreDamegirlie
Summary: Perhaps it was the stormy clouds, or the freezing wind. Whichever it was, it made Hermione want to fly. Fly and be free. DMHG


Author's Note- This has absolutely nothing to do with any of my other stories, I just thought of the title and decided to write something based on it. Ha, weird, basing the story on the title. Pathetic, really. But, anyway, I wrote it in about half and hour, so if it's horrible, I apologize.

Disclaimer- Nope, don't own it, never will, yadda yadda yadda.

_Here Comes the Rain_

A girl, no extraordinary girl, is gazing out at the scene before her. The view, complete with rolling mountains and a sparkling lake, is veiled with a layer of darkness. It's only dusk, but shadowy and threatening clouds are rolling in, distantly rumbling.

Hermione, for once, ignores her head. It's telling her not to go outside, you'll get sick and die and then what do you think you'll do? The NEWTS are in three months! But she doesn't listen to her head. She steps out into the cold wind, spreading her arms as far as they'll go, tilting her face up to wait for the first raindrops.

They don't come.

She frowns for a moment, she wanted the rain to come, come and wash away her fears, anxieties, and imperfections. The things that make her Hermione Granger. She steps farther, out to the middle of the courtyard. The rain still doesn't come. Instead, a gust of freezing wind comes and whips her bushy curls into a frenzy.

Hermione suddenly feels an incredible longing to...what is it? What do you call that inexpressible desire to be free, to soar above the troubling world, to..._fly_?

She starts to walk, walk out of the courtyard, down to the lake at the bottom of the steep hill. Hermione starts to walk a little faster, determined that no one should see their Head Girl running down a steep hill, of all the stupid things to do! But maybe it's not so stupid. So she tosses her worries behind her, rippling like a silken banner, and begins to run.

Run until she is gasping for breath. Run until her legs refuse to go farther. Run until the lake is only a dozen yards away, and a strange figure is in view. Run until she sees that that figure has white-blond hair and pale skin. Run until she sees Draco Malfoy.

He doesn't see her right away. Hermione is trying to quiet her thumping heart and panting lungs, but they won't cooperate, and now he's turning to look at her. Strangely, he's not saying anything. He only looks at her for a moment and then turns back to the rough waves on the lake.

Hermione, is, quite understandably, rather surprised. Shocked? Maybe not. Surprised? Yes, in a quiet sort of way. She's wondering to herself if it would be worth starting a conversation with him, but decides against it. Instead, she tilts her head up again, praying for the rain to come.

It still doesn't.

But she closes her eyes, and spread out her arms, and completely forgets that Draco Malfoy exists, much less is standing right in front of her. And is now gazing at her, without the usual contempt and dislike.

He, being a Malfoy, is always cautious about the things he says. But perhaps there's something about the cold, cloudy day that allows him to throw his caution to the wind, the same wind Hermione left with her uncertainties.

He goes over to where Hermione has forgotten him, and just stands in front of her, waiting patiently. She seems to remember he's there and opens her eyes, her slender arms going back down to her sides.

She won't remember what made her say this to him, but it doesn't matter; the only thing that matters is that she says it.

"I want to be free."

Draco's eyes soften and he answers softly, "To be free? To leave the world behind?" He sighs, something Hermione has never heard from him. "You're not the only one."

Hermione, being the brain that she is, can hear the restlessness in his voice. She doesn't know, but she can guess why it's there. She can also catch the slight unhappiness, the smallest bit of despair. So maybe that's why she takes his hand in hers, and smiles. That's the reason she tells herself, anyway.

Draco smiles back, and a glimmer of hope flashes in his eyes. Hermione can feel her heart spread its wings and fly, how she always wanted to. She closes her eyes and tilts her head back, one last time.

_Here comes the rain..._


End file.
